GTC AGAR BASE

Description

Enterococci are gram-positive cocci causing a multitude of infections in humans such as urinary tract infections, bacterial endocarditis, diverticulitis and meningitis. Until 1984, members of Enterococci were classified as Group D Streptococci. Group D Streptococci are prevalent in the faecal material of humans and other animals. Numerous media have been proposed for the isolation of Group D Streptococci which employed sodium azide as a selective agent at concentrations ranging from 0.01 to 0.04%. Sodium azide when used as an inhibitor of non-enterococcal group bacteria have several disadvantages. However, favourable results were obtained when gentamicin was used as a selective agent for Group D Streptococci. GTC Agar Base described by Hartmann and Donnely employedgentamicin and thallus acetate as inhibitors of non-enterococcal bacteria while allowing selective isolation of all faecal streptococci.